I remember being taught this in technical school years ago and is good practice but is usually not applied in reality. The brake fluid is probably the most neglected fluid in any vehicle with hydraulic brakes.
I don't take chances with brakes and tires. It's all you've got when some meatsack decides to pull in front of you while texting AND watching porn while driving. Open the bleeder!
I like to take the old DOT 3 fluid out of the MC with a turkey baster as a 1st step before brake job. Allows a full flush of system with fresh brake fluid during the course of brake job.
I remove the fluid from the master cylinder reservoir using the vacuum bleeder, but then refill with fresh fluid before going on to do the caliper retraction with the open bleeder valve . That avoids having all the dirty fluid in the master cylinder reservoir getting sucked into the system . With the vacuum bleeder, the tube can go to the bottom of the reservoir where all the dirtiest fluid sits. With fresh fluid in the reservoir, there's less possibility of contamination as it's drawn into the system during the bleeding process.
Just be careful with what type of plastic it's made out of. Went to the grocery store one time and they were out of stock so I got a "Marinade Injector" instead which is basically a big syringe. It did the job but a couple of hours later the brake fluid caused it to fall apart. lol My goal is to have an assortment of basters. Like one will be for power steering, another for brake fluid, etc. so there's no chance of cross contamination.
@@picklerix6162 BEEN THERE on that one!! If I'm working on one of our vehicles and walk into the kitchen ....... she's supervising me. Over the years I have commandeered bowls, basters, sheet pans and probably some other kitchen items that I can't think of right off the top of my head. I don't usually say anything but when the day comes that she needs whatever it is and she can't find it ....... SHE FINDS ME!
always removed the old brake fluid from the master cylinder with a huge industrial syringe before bleeding the brakes that way you didn't have the old dirty fluid running thru the brake lines and ABS it makes the whole job much quicker
When vacuum bleeding, I find it helpful to put a slight coat of wheel grease around the bleeder valve where it meets the caliper to prevent air flow around the threads.
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR GREAT VIDEOS. I HAVE BEEN A MECHANIC FOR 50 YEARS AND HAVE BEEN LEARNING ALL KINDS OF NEW INFORMATION FROM YOU ON HOW TO DO THE JOB RIGHT. PLEASE KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK.
Before I open the reservoir i like to wipe the reservoir exterior and cap clean, this keeps dirt and oils from entering the system and can be easier to read the fluid level if it is too dirty. I would have probably blown the leaves out of the way as well. Great video! Huge fan, love all the videos
For years I have simply connected a clear tube to the breed valve with the other end in a jar of fluid, and opened the bleeder valve. I just had to make sure I was topping off the reservoir as I compressed the calliper. Then after all the brake work was completed, I bled each brake down to basically replace the brake fluid in the system.
There's an easy way to ensure none of the fluid goes back through the system. Before you start, put a bar or something on the brake pedal to put a little pressure on it. The pistons in the master cylinder will not let fluid back up the system so it'll have to go out the bleeder. When you're done you'll want to remove the bar from the pedal and crack the bleeder again to let any air in the caliper be pushed out, gravity will flow fluid into the caliper and expel any air. I think it's a non-issue if fluid goes back up while compressing the piston and have never had a problem, but for anyone worried about it it's easy to keep that from happening.
Yep I’ve done I don’t know how many brake jobs on my vehicles over the years and never seen power braking fail because black brake fluid went upward. In fact I bet you can get a syringe or Bastet and pull black DOT3 from the reservoirs of all my vehicles
It's not just dirt and brown fluid. It's also about the moisture content. As 4% moisture can cause a spongy pedal that feels like air in the system. The whole point to making the master cylinder clear was so it wouldn't be opened as often to keep moisture out. Anyone old enough to have had an old car can attest to the rust inside an old metal one.
I never took this approach, guess I been lucky for the last 35 years. When I worked at Ford and Chevrolet, I don't think I seen anyone doing it. It could be a very costly mistake. I will start doing it now,
I was skeptical about your video but watched it anyway. That was some relevant and useful information on how to keep the old truck stopping correctly by changing a few steps while changing the brake pads. What you said makes a lot of sense and will be part of my process in the future. Thanks for posting.
Thanks for the tip!! Just completed all 4 wheels on a 98 explorer. Your tip came too late for me, but I did do a complete brake bleed afterwards. Hope that did what I needed it to do.
I've started teaching this same method, it's amazing how many people don't think about about all of the crud going back through the EHCU, but then again no one ever thinks about flushing the brake fluid as recommended either? , the pony clamp is a great touch/idea ! Great video, thank you
It’s not an issue to flush the brake system every 2 to 3 years. If for no other reason, the fluid absorbs small amounts of water over time and compromises effectiveness.
Excellent tip! I’ve always just bled them afterwards but now I realize the importance of doing this first. Keep up the good work, I enjoy watching your videos...always well done and technically correct!
Because most people don’t brake hard enough to “burn” or boil the fluid. It’s very important in track cars though. There’s probably millions of cars that have went the entirety of their life without a bleed and the factory dot3 fluid. The bigger concern is how brake fluid sucks up water.
@@mikes70mustang in either case, its good to drain at least some of the fluid from each wheel when changing out brakes so u can get out the old and replace with new. You can also use a battery filler/dropper to drain the reservoir down and you can replace even more of it with fresh fluid.
Thankyou. I have a good old '06, 4.2 and its probably my last vehicle. But ever so slowly I like to look after it. Because of you I've done my tran filter, brakes, diff, plugs, coil, cleaned the MAF( the carb plate was sticking on a resin ridge. Toothbrush'd that. ) Thanks again.
Great video, the only thing I like to do differently is to put a drain pan underneath and pre- rinse off the piston cylinder boot and caliper pins off with brake cleaner before putting clamp on as not to drag the brake dust scum into the bores.
Having someone pump the brake and hold down while release bleeder, will prevent it from going back in the line. Might as well replace all the brake fluid once a year anyway. All hydraulic fluid heats up in the systems.
I will say that I've learned more from your videos than any other channel. One specific situation was how I EASILY diagnosed a catalytic converter problem along with the underlying cause. It amazes me how many people get a Cat code, get a scanner, and begin throwing parts at a car. All I had to do was buy a $5 OBD2 bluetooth scanner, download Torque Pro, find my o2 Sensor CIDS, set them as a graph, and monitor; it took 3 minutes to notice that my Cat was bad and needed to be replaced.
I never thought about pushing the old fluid back to the master cylinder contaminating things. When the brakes were on, I would suck the fluid out of the master cylinder, replace it with new fluid, and bleed the brakes until fresh fluid comes out. It didn't cross my mind not to push the old nasty fluid up there in the first place. Great video.
Thank you for this video. I'm new to ABS cars and my 2005 CRV being ABS is my first. I'm taking great care to not mess up the system. Glad I was going to bleed my breaks before doing any break job. I will do never push the fluid back up ever again after watching this video.
Excellent tip! The key here is you will NEVER get the old fluid out of the caliper reservoir by bleeding! I take this a step further and pull the calipers and empty the crap through the brake line port, then fill them with fresh brake fluid, agitate, and empty more crap out of them. Even if you push the pistons all the way in, there's still a half cup of nasty brake fluid and sediment left in the dead spaces within the larger calipers on Super Dutys and Econolines. Old brake fluid contains water and acids, fades at a lower temperature, and it is far more compressible than new brake fluid - leading to a softer pedal even when all air is out of the lines.
Anytime I do a brake job on my vehicle I go ahead and start with the master cylinder and replace lines and everything. Theres no way to be sure that everything is good unless you know it is new. I usually spend about 800-900 dollars on a brake job just for parts. Even more if I replace the ABS module which I recommend on every other brake job.
@@DownRange02 He's being a smart ass. He does have a point, you have to know where to draw the line or just rebuild the entire car while you are doing a brake job.
Youu get probably half of the fluid but none of the sediment. If you flip the caliper upside down with bleeder open then compress you will get a ton of crap out.
Outstanding Common sense procedure! Thank you! I dare say most of us have never really thought about pushing that old cooked fluid back into the system. I know I'll be changing my pad/disk replacement procedure to include evacuation of the old fluid from now on.
I agree this is the way to do it. However in the rusty states such as Michigan where I wrench the chances of getting a bleeder to come loose vs rounding off or snapping off is about the same as being hit by an asteroid. I am retired now but still do side work, I check the bleeder first right after the wheel is removed. Put my best 6 pt socket on it, if it seems like it is not going to come off I inform the customer and explain exactly what you just did to them.
I been doing it this way for years after I screwed up a proportional valve on an ABS system. The centering pin in the valve system gets stuck good luck taking it apart and fixing it. As the pressure being forced back through the system can jam that thing. I never made that mistake again! Great to see someone tell it like it is. As these new systems have more sensors and valves to control the brakes then your old vehicles did.
Depress the brake pedal slightly and lock it in that position. That way no old brake fluid can return to the reservoir when pressing the brake pistons in. Everything goes out the bleeder tube, and no need for vacuum.
ive been doing brakes for 30 years and never thought of doing this. i always bleed the fluid out after im done but didnt think of doing this while compressing the piston. thanks. old dog new trick for me
wow! very informative. thank you I can't tell you how many brakes I have done on my own cars that I just clamped the caliper and I thought I was so smart to use a big serenge to suck the old fluid out of the res. an replace with clean fluid. very good information. thank you.
Amen . I always mity-vac as much fluid as possible from the master reservoir 1st then refill with new DOT4 too , since this insures new clean fluid is vacuumed out through the bleeder . Takes about 3-4 ounces bled at the front and 4-6 ounces at the rear on F-150 to insure clean fluid reaches each caliper. On mine the rubber bushed glide pin was frozen on the rears so new glide pin kit got caliper sliding easily again . Great video and thanks .
Ive been doing this for years gad a problem in a e250 van 20 years ago and clearing the gunky fluid out fixed it and ever since ive cleaned it before any change. Also with the bleeder hose in a cup after i push the caliper back i squeeze the pedal once to flush that hose out if its really dirty fluid.
Having cleaned and rebuilt many stuck calipers why l never picked up on this possibly....anyway good tip! I will incorporate it in my technique. Thanks!
Finally! Someone that agrees with me! I've seen so many people and videos that don't flush the old fluid out through the bleeder valve. I have done this forever, as even on cars without ABS, this procedure will save the master cylinder seals and prolong the life of it as well. I also vacuum bleed, but with a hand pumper; but as I can do less of this stuff due to joint pain, I need to look into this vacuum bleeder you're using. Great video and information!!
Read my response. The ONLY time you put a wrench to these soft metal, corrosive screws is for a full replacement and flush. leave them alone and flush after each rotor change, PERIOD
Was messing with the brakes on the truck today told a few people about t I’m sure. Then I see this vid on my feed. Is RUclips listening to me Good vid very informative
Spot on. Been doing that for 30 years. Should have been doing it sooner but a light bulb went off and that is when I started do it. 50 years in the biz ...38 as an owner.
That's how I do my brakes but a regular flat rate guy won't do it because it takes too much time. They tease me about it when they see me do that. I always try to work on my stuff when the techs are not around
I don't disagree with this procedure. Several years ago I saw a magazine article, I forget what magazine did it, but they were wondering weather or not the fluid circulates through the system. They tested this by putting small plastic flakes in the right rear wheel cylinder. drove it around, and in about a week or so they found those same flakes in the master cly reservoir. So biased on their test the fluid doesn't get trapped.
"small plastic flakes" have more density than a liquid, so that was not a valid testing method. they should have used a liquid dye and checked for the dye after the week or so.
I think it's been done with dye, too. I've sucked the somewhat dirty fluid out of my car's master cylinder reservoir and replaced it with fresh fluid, driven a month or so and found the previously clean fluid dirtier. I repeat this every month or 2 and see similar findings, but the fluid is getting "cleaner" each time. That seems to indicate that at least some circulation by convection occurs in the system.
I agree. Fluids mix due to Brownian motion. The idea that the dirty fluid behind the piston stays there for ever is wrong. Fluids always mix because molecules are constantly in motion. Just suck out the old fluid from master cylinder and replace with new fluid every 2-3 years and you should be good to go. I never did brake bleed in my old Maxima and it lasted for 17 years, no brake problems ever.
@OBServe Garage Really? You're one of those dicks with nothing better to do but to go around correcting people? How old are you? Are you not old enough to know from experience that cell phones & computer softwares have "auto correction" that frequently changes the words that are actually entered? Moron.
If you live anywhere in the U.S. where it snows and salt is used on the roads, you should brush off the bleeders with a stiff brush and soak them with a good penetrating oil (WD isn't a penetrating oil) for a couple of hours or overnight. You'd be surprised......🤤
Excellent Tip. never thought of doing that. I always try to do a system flush after the second brake job, but this make more sense. prevention instead of "cleaning" Thank you.
Great point. I have never had a problem with the ABS system but point well taken. I've also been guilty of not flushing out the old brake fluid periodically. Brake fluid is a moisture magnet and should be flushed every brake job at least.
Been HPDE/Track/AutoX racing on for 9 years and working on cars for 20yrs. If you cook your fluid during daily driving, you're being way too aggressive for street driving, as fluids are designed to withstand the rigors of a typical commute or run to the store. Not to mention that the majority of the heat winds up in the rotor (which is why they are typically vented) and, the calipers themselves have enough mass to keep the fluid cool during ordinary driving anyways. Dark fluid is a sign of moisture or seals deteriorating in the system and that is what causes issues, not the heat. The failing systems (Distribution block and ABS stuff) you mentioned are likely because the vehicle is running the same fluid that's from the factory 10+ years ago. All you have to do is change it based on the manufacturers details.
This is very good advice, something that I learned the HARD way, I hope that people will watch this video before attempting to just compress the caliper piston.
I have done the brakes on my ‘98 F150 several times since I bought it brand new with 7 miles on the odometer. I always just compress the piston and don’t worry about it. 180,000 miles and zero problems knock on wood.
I also put cling film over the bottle then screw on the cap to seal the lid which helps prevent fluid going back the way or draining out if you take of a caliper etc
Glad I stumbled onto this video, albeit 4 years late. So it may be over kill, but the next brake job I do, I'm going to: 1. Turkey-baster out as much brake fluid as I can from the master cylinder reservoir, and replace it with new fluid. 2. Bleed the brake line I'm about to work on to force new fluid into that line. 3. Do what he says to force the burned fluid from the caliper out of the system. 4. Bleed/flush more fluid out after installing the new pads. ... Full flush on every pad change.
Iv never done this pushing out old fluid and in 11 years iv never had issues . sure iv totally changed the fluid twice , but even on other cars iv never seen it damage anything
I recently was getting "loose pedal" on my ford edge 2013. Some said its piston and some said its booster. I started with changing the Brake fluid and it worked.
If possible I first replace the master cylinder fluid, then move to calipers.. brake fluid should be replaced every 3-4 years anyway! This is opening bleeder is best practice, I do it every brake job unless it a piece of junk that's siezed up, wont break loose with map gas and is barely on the road as it is.. If it comes loose its 5 minutes tops to refresh the fluid. I did increase labor by 5 bucks. Last one I wasnt able to get loose was an 05 Cadillac ctsv with aluminum calipers and tiny blenders. I ended up replacing the caliper because I had also redone the entire brake line system in nickel copper line, from the master all the way to calipers. Ran in exact factory routing, the right way, it looked great. Some major rust belt issues attacked the brake lines hard core.
On old, rusty bleeders, use heat (torch) and then touch a crayon near the threads. It will suck the wax into the threads and lube them. No more broken or rounded bleeders.
its nonsense, someone tested this, its the heat that frees the bolt, wax doesnt penetrate as you suppose it might for a start and does absolutely nothing to lubricate a stuck bolt, even when its molten? wax is way too viscous, thats the whole point of a penetrant oil, if wax worked we wouldnt use penetrant oil, there would be no need for it.
This process is explained in the Hayes manual but also says to clamp the brake hose. Why, there is also a possibility that the reverse force of the brake fluid ( when pushing calliper piston back )can damage the seals in master brake cylinder.
Good video yes on my ford here in Australia the way i do it is i get someone to pump the brake pedal after drawing out all the fluid in the reservoir with a syringe and putting clean stuff in so it’s a one way flush outwards and that seems to work pretty good the other option is to crimp the hose with a clamp then crack the nipple and push the piston in so all the black stuff comes out the nipple but I’ve been advised that crimping the hose can damage them internally which you don’t want and I’ve also been advised the other method of pumping the pedal can cause problems with the master cylinder so I think I’ll just keep what I’m doing and pump the pedal method and leave it at that and I’ve upgraded from DOT 3 to DOT 5.1...... much better pedal as a result...
It's true. Replace the fluid. Bring back the factory boiling point. Much overlooked during brake service. Look at the fluid color, gives a clue of how the brake system has been used. Darker may indicate hard braking. Rotors will probably show heat. The customer will describe pulsation or "shaking".
Reason why i do my own work on my car is many places incl here in the UK they just drag the work on to get as much out from the customer.I know i work in the car trade for many years so learned a few stuff and i'm in a different job now so i can call up a mate for a job i can't do or not got the right tools for the job.
Interesting...I stated doing this on your latest "rear brake" job video...and you told everybody "don't worry about it, the fluid doesn't compress much so it's not necessary".
Brake cylinders: the most neglected part of average automobile. I install an extra O-Ring on the bleeder screw threads to keep better vaccum on the suction hose.
You are an incredibly proficient, and well spoken technician! Thank you for sharing your talent, and helping people like myself keeping our Fords going for the long haul! Blessings to you, friend!
It is insane how many "old school" mechanics will simply pop a c-clamp on the caliper and just sent that fluid back into your system. This is very good info. One thing I didn't hear you mention Brian, is this procedure as opposed to pushing that fluid back onto your system should also help to preserve good pedal feel. Broken down fluid compresses more than fresh uncontaminated fluid. Compression in brake fluid is of course a bad thing. At least that is what I have always heard...
Yeah makes sense, until you have a 10 yr old car with rusted on bleeders and no plastic cap and you turn the bleeder and it snaps off. Time for new caliper $$$. You can try heating the bleeder with torch and then throw cold wet rag on it to break (brake?) the rust but most times the bleeder snaps off and your screwed. Better to take off the caliper bolts, slide off the caliper slowly using a large screwdriver and then finish the job. Been burned too many times on old rusted cars to ever attempt to remove a bleeder again. I just turkey baster the brake fluid every week for 5 weeks or so and most of the fluid is replaced. No new calipers and job done for much less than replacing 4 calipers
How does pulling the fluid from one bleed screw replace all the fluid, even on the old single systems pulling from the RR will do nothing to replace the fluid in the front brakes, let alone the LR.
Great tip! Thanks. By the time we need now pads, we probably need a complete purge of the old fluid with new. Don't drive much, change fluid every two or three years to get the water content down. Isn't DOT 4 backward compatible with DOT 3? Many bottles used to be labled 3 and 4.???? I will look at what you listed.
I've never seen this cause an abs failure ever but old fluid is always good to get out and a brake fluid flush when its dirty is always recommended but no one wants it done.
I never compress the Piston all the way, just enough to get it off, once off I then do it with reservoir open, but makes sense, I'll apply this method from now on...
I know! Just finished the rear brakes myself without doing this. Should have watched FOrdTech first. I watched another video that did not mention it (just push in piston), and I even followed the Haynes manual for my 2016 f-150 that said...just push the piston in!
I used to work at a government fleet facility and I suggested that we implement the same procedure into our scheduled preventive maintenance program. It got shot down because my mental midget boss couldn’t figure out a way to take credit for the idea or give the credit to one of his cronies.
I would add is to remove most of the old fluid from the reservoir after adding the new pads but then refill with new before bleeding so you don't mix all that old fluid with new.
+Dirtyharry70585 Good point just make sure to not suck too much out or you can get air trapped in the master cylinder no matter how much you bleed the fluid through. Had that issue especially with escapes luckily they have a bleeder on the master also.
Vacuum out the brake fluid reservoir and , if possible, the master cylinder first to remove any debris before touching anything. All that sediment, bits of abraded seal, and corrosion products can wipe out the ABS unit if it get pumped through it.
I have been doing this since screwing up an ABS valve years ago. Didn't know what happened until an old grey beard told me what you just explained. I got tired of the MityVac method and made my own vacuum set up using a couple pickle jars and an A/C system vacuum pump. Here in Michigan we also have the salt corrosion blues, I tell everyone I do brakes for there may be a chance your going to get calipers also I the bleeder snaps off. Been pretty lucky so far, have only had about 3 or 4 that snapped. PB Blaster or Kroil and a mapp gas torch are my friends.
charlie dee I do the same, made a vacuum bottle out of a 2 litre pickle jar one line to the bleeder and a larger 3/8 diameter line hooked up to my shop vac. , works great. Same principle can be used for sucking the oil out of lawnmowers through the fill tube. Makes for quick oil changes with no mess.
I just bought one of those Harbor Freight vacuum bleeders like you have. They don't put a hook on it anymore for hanging. I guess they saved an extra 2 cents with their newer units.
I picked one up the other day and realized the same thing. Thought I got one missing the ring and hook. Then I saw the photo on the box doesn't show one. Guess I have to make my own from the junk pile in the shop.
Blaine Bugaski I understand you would like it to come with a hanger, but you could always make one pretty easily if you have an old metal hanger for clothes around the house.
Thanks much, i take your advice, in particular, with more than a grain of salt. However what are you going to do about that vegetable garden growing at the base of the windshield. Thanks again
FordTechMakuloco was just a rhetorical question actually; however you do kind of make me wish that I had purchased a ford truck; not because of Ford’s quality control, of course, but rather your diy solutions to the deficiencies in their workmanship. Thanks
The only thing I would add. if you plan on doing this. Get all of the old fluid out of the revisor first. Because all your doing is send old fluid that's in the revisor throughout the brake system.
Its a good idea if you are careful you don't want it to get too low or else the opposing axle will also need to be bled even if you are not working on it. This can pose a problem if the rear bleeders are frozen in there, on some models they also require a separate master cylinder bleed like on the Escapes so it can turn into a real ordeal. With the method I describe here you wont have any of those concerns.
FordTechMakuloco can you please make a video explaining the Ford Escape HYBRID Brake Bleeding , any tips,tricks would help a lot of us finding out this nerve racking ordeal
European brands have been specifying DOT4 for years. I've found that following their recommended fluid replacement schedule also means I'm not dealing with seized calipers. Doing the proper maintenance saves $ in the long run.
Even though I’ve never had an issue bleeding out all old fluid last you made a very logical point as to contamination. I’ll do it your way next time since it makes more sense to do so. Nothing wrong with teaching old dogs new tricks 👍
The bad brake fluid will disperse itself throughout the entire system. It doesn't just sit there in the caliper. Regardless, it's always good to exercise the bleeder screws so that they don't get frozen shut and break when you need to open them. Also, it's good to have the bleeder open when pushing back the pads to relieve the pressure (potentially damaging) and making it easier to push the caliper piston back.
What I started doing is bleeding/flushing the brakes first BEFORE a brake job. Replacing the old fluid in the MC and the system. Then you're dealing with fresh fluid when you push the pistons back, and removing brake fluid at the end to bring to fill level.
I usually crack the brake line loose as well ( just enough to let fluid be forced out but not enough for it to run out ) and then wrap a rag around it because I prefer to push the piston in by hand . I just don't feel comfortable using anything that can bend a rotor or crack a caliper to push the piston in and sometimes there's no way to get a good bite on it anyway . I don't worry too much about getting air in the line because I 'm only pushing not pulling and I tighten it immediately . Besides , your almost certainly going to have to bleed the brakes afterward anyway .
Whoops! I didnt do this and sprayed brake fluid all over the place in the engine bay. Apparantly some got on the mega fuse. I didnt find this out until yesterday. Been cahsing a stalling/charging/rough idle issue. Lights would dim with power windows, stalling and not starting back up. Seemed like alternator. Tested everything multimeter and it was fine. SO followed the alternator wire to the fuse and theres was gunk all over it. I'm guessing it was old brake fluid because it was everywhere. Replaced the 175A fuse and everything is just fine finally.
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I remember being taught this in technical school years ago and is good practice but is usually not applied in reality.
The brake fluid is probably the most neglected fluid in any vehicle with hydraulic brakes.
I don't take chances with brakes and tires. It's all you've got when some meatsack decides to pull in front of you while texting AND watching porn while driving. Open the bleeder!
That’s right it is, because you have to bleed the brakes every time you open a bleeder valve because that fluid gets displaced by air.
I always bleed my brakes when changing them, I have been doing this for over 40 years; this is not new.
I'm just overwhelmed with the amount of leaves in the wiper cowl 😳
I like to take the old DOT 3 fluid out of the MC with a turkey baster as a 1st step before brake job. Allows a full flush of system with fresh brake fluid during the course of brake job.
I remove the fluid from the master cylinder reservoir using the vacuum bleeder, but then refill with fresh fluid before going on to do the caliper retraction with the open bleeder valve . That avoids having all the dirty fluid in the master cylinder reservoir getting sucked into the system . With the vacuum bleeder, the tube can go to the bottom of the reservoir where all the dirtiest fluid sits.
With fresh fluid in the reservoir, there's less possibility of contamination as it's drawn into the system during the bleeding process.
Just be careful with what type of plastic it's made out of. Went to the grocery store one time and they were out of stock so I got a "Marinade Injector" instead which is basically a big syringe. It did the job but a couple of hours later the brake fluid caused it to fall apart. lol My goal is to have an assortment of basters. Like one will be for power steering, another for brake fluid, etc. so there's no chance of cross contamination.
My wife was asking me what happened to her turkey baster.
@@picklerix6162 BEEN THERE on that one!! If I'm working on one of our vehicles and walk into the kitchen ....... she's supervising me. Over the years I have commandeered bowls, basters, sheet pans and probably some other kitchen items that I can't think of right off the top of my head. I don't usually say anything but when the day comes that she needs whatever it is and she can't find it ....... SHE FINDS ME!
always removed the old brake fluid from the master cylinder with a huge industrial syringe before bleeding the brakes that way you didn't have the old dirty fluid running thru the brake lines and ABS it makes the whole job much quicker
When vacuum bleeding, I find it helpful to put a slight coat of wheel grease around the bleeder valve where it meets the caliper to prevent air flow around the threads.
I do that, too, only with silicone grease. That way there's no chance of it causing issues if it makes its way into the caliper.
Yes sir Frank! Old school trick that works great.
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR GREAT VIDEOS.
I HAVE BEEN A MECHANIC FOR 50 YEARS AND HAVE BEEN LEARNING ALL KINDS OF NEW INFORMATION FROM YOU ON HOW TO DO THE JOB RIGHT. PLEASE KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK.
whenever i work on my Ford I watch a few videos on how to do it, then finally I watch yours, so I know how to do it right! thanks,
Can never learn TOO much
Before I open the reservoir i like to wipe the reservoir exterior and cap clean, this keeps dirt and oils from entering the system and can be easier to read the fluid level if it is too dirty. I would have probably blown the leaves out of the way as well. Great video! Huge fan, love all the videos
For years I have simply connected a clear tube to the breed valve with the other end in a jar of fluid, and opened the bleeder valve. I just had to make sure I was topping off the reservoir as I compressed the calliper. Then after all the brake work was completed, I bled each brake down to basically replace the brake fluid in the system.
+jdmeaux Good thinking
The Most Important Step BEFORE Performing Any Brake Job:
Ascertain that the person is able to pay for said brake job :)
you sound like you've been burned?
Truth
The most important thing before performing ANY job on a vehicle, actually.
THAT IS SO EH?
@@turtlezed - Who hasn't been?
There's an easy way to ensure none of the fluid goes back through the system. Before you start, put a bar or something on the brake pedal to put a little pressure on it. The pistons in the master cylinder will not let fluid back up the system so it'll have to go out the bleeder. When you're done you'll want to remove the bar from the pedal and crack the bleeder again to let any air in the caliper be pushed out, gravity will flow fluid into the caliper and expel any air.
I think it's a non-issue if fluid goes back up while compressing the piston and have never had a problem, but for anyone worried about it it's easy to keep that from happening.
Good thinking.
Yep I’ve done I don’t know how many brake jobs on my vehicles over the years and never seen power braking fail because black brake fluid went upward. In fact I bet you can get a syringe or Bastet and pull black DOT3 from the reservoirs of all my vehicles
It's not just dirt and brown fluid. It's also about the moisture content. As 4% moisture can cause a spongy pedal that feels like air in the system. The whole point to making the master cylinder clear was so it wouldn't be opened as often to keep moisture out. Anyone old enough to have had an old car can attest to the rust inside an old metal one.
I never took this approach, guess I been lucky for the last 35 years. When I worked at Ford and Chevrolet, I don't think I seen anyone doing it. It could be a very costly mistake. I will start doing it now,
That's what makes a good mechanic. Always learn better ways to do things, not necessarily faster or easier.
I was skeptical about your video but watched it anyway. That was some relevant and useful information on how to keep the old truck stopping correctly by changing a few steps while changing the brake pads. What you said makes a lot of sense and will be part of my process in the future. Thanks for posting.
you are a real asset to the repair industry, real professional and articulate ; a loyalfollower
What about taking the slide pins out and cleaning them up and regreasing with silicon grease to make sure the calipers slide easily?
toobeer actually clutch spline grease is the best grease to use.
High temperature
JaCk nickolstine clutch spline grease already is high temperature.
@@davidgruen7423 I know, it's a "brake" hahahaha
I'm just saying it needs to be high temperature.
AND HE MISSED THAT TOO!!!! This vid is missing A LOT!!
Thanks for the tip!! Just completed all 4 wheels on a 98 explorer. Your tip came too late for me, but I did do a complete brake bleed afterwards. Hope that did what I needed it to do.
Thanks Maku. Makes sense now that you explained it. Burned mess getting back into clean fluid. I do that soon for my car.
I've started teaching this same method, it's amazing how many people don't think about about all of the crud going back through the EHCU, but then again no one ever thinks about flushing the brake fluid as recommended either? , the pony clamp is a great touch/idea ! Great video, thank you
It’s not an issue to flush the brake system every 2 to 3 years. If for no other reason, the fluid absorbs small amounts of water over time and compromises effectiveness.
Excellent tip! I’ve always just bled them afterwards but now I realize the importance of doing this first. Keep up the good work, I enjoy watching your videos...always well done and technically correct!
Why did it take 40 years for someone to mention burned brake fluid? I am guilty of just compressing the piston....won't happen again. Thanks, mate.
I just thought the exact same thing. What an awesome tip.
Absolutely totally makes sense but never thought of it
Because most people don’t brake hard enough to “burn” or boil the fluid. It’s very important in track cars though. There’s probably millions of cars that have went the entirety of their life without a bleed and the factory dot3 fluid. The bigger concern is how brake fluid sucks up water.
it is common knowledge in the auto and engineering field
@@mikes70mustang in either case, its good to drain at least some of the fluid from each wheel when changing out brakes so u can get out the old and replace with new. You can also use a battery filler/dropper to drain the reservoir down and you can replace even more of it with fresh fluid.
I always applied the g-clamp after removing the caliper from the rotor. I learned something today. Clamp it first!
I never thought about the heat cycles on the fluid
thanks, brian ..!!
Thankyou.
I have a good old '06, 4.2 and its probably my last vehicle. But ever so slowly I like to look after it. Because of you I've done my tran filter, brakes, diff, plugs, coil, cleaned the MAF( the carb plate was sticking on a resin ridge. Toothbrush'd that. )
Thanks again.
Great video, the only thing I like to do differently is to put a drain pan underneath and pre- rinse off the piston cylinder boot and caliper pins off with brake cleaner before putting clamp on as not to drag the brake dust scum into the bores.
Having someone pump the brake and hold down while release bleeder, will prevent it from going back in the line. Might as well replace all the brake fluid once a year anyway. All hydraulic fluid heats up in the systems.
I will say that I've learned more from your videos than any other channel. One specific situation was how I EASILY diagnosed a catalytic converter problem along with the underlying cause. It amazes me how many people get a Cat code, get a scanner, and begin throwing parts at a car. All I had to do was buy a $5 OBD2 bluetooth scanner, download Torque Pro, find my o2 Sensor CIDS, set them as a graph, and monitor; it took 3 minutes to notice that my Cat was bad and needed to be replaced.
My '13 had a recall done to it and had the master cylinder replaced. The fluid was Dot 3 on the original but the new one is now Dot 4.
I never thought about pushing the old fluid back to the master cylinder contaminating things. When the brakes were on, I would suck the fluid out of the master cylinder, replace it with new fluid, and bleed the brakes until fresh fluid comes out. It didn't cross my mind not to push the old nasty fluid up there in the first place. Great video.
Thank you for this video. I'm new to ABS cars and my 2005 CRV being ABS is my first. I'm taking great care to not mess up the system. Glad I was going to bleed my breaks before doing any break job. I will do never push the fluid back up ever again after watching this video.
Great video! Your advices are basic to prevent any damage on car and personal accident. Thanks to share your experience.
Excellent tip! The key here is you will NEVER get the old fluid out of the caliper reservoir by bleeding! I take this a step further and pull the calipers and empty the crap through the brake line port, then fill them with fresh brake fluid, agitate, and empty more crap out of them. Even if you push the pistons all the way in, there's still a half cup of nasty brake fluid and sediment left in the dead spaces within the larger calipers on Super Dutys and Econolines. Old brake fluid contains water and acids, fades at a lower temperature, and it is far more compressible than new brake fluid - leading to a softer pedal even when all air is out of the lines.
Anytime I do a brake job on my vehicle I go ahead and start with the master cylinder and replace lines and everything. Theres no way to be sure that everything is good unless you know it is new. I usually spend about 800-900 dollars on a brake job just for parts. Even more if I replace the ABS module which I recommend on every other brake job.
John Thomas I can’t tell if this is sarcasm or just insanity! 🤔
@@DownRange02 He's being a smart ass. He does have a point, you have to know where to draw the line or just rebuild the entire car while you are doing a brake job.
@@stlf_reliance3887 Yep, that's what they call OCD. 👍
Youu get probably half of the fluid but none of the sediment. If you flip the caliper upside down with bleeder open then compress you will get a ton of crap out.
Outstanding Common sense procedure! Thank you! I dare say most of us have never really thought about pushing that old cooked fluid back into the system. I know I'll be changing my pad/disk replacement procedure to include evacuation of the old fluid from now on.
I agree this is the way to do it. However in the rusty states such as Michigan where I wrench the chances of getting a bleeder to come loose vs rounding off or snapping off is about the same as being hit by an asteroid. I am retired now but still do side work, I check the bleeder first right after the wheel is removed. Put my best 6 pt socket on it, if it seems like it is not going to come off I inform the customer and explain exactly what you just did to them.
I been doing it this way for years after I screwed up a proportional valve on an ABS system. The centering pin in the valve system gets stuck good luck taking it apart and fixing it. As the pressure being forced back through the system can jam that thing. I never made that mistake again!
Great to see someone tell it like it is. As these new systems have more sensors and valves to control the brakes then your old vehicles did.
Makuloco good tip,I was told this long ago about how it can ruin an ABS unit however flat rate techs are not doing this.
Depress the brake pedal slightly and lock it in that position. That way no old brake fluid can return to the reservoir when pressing the brake pistons in. Everything goes out the bleeder tube, and no need for vacuum.
ive been doing brakes for 30 years and never thought of
doing this. i always bleed the fluid out after im done but didnt think of doing this while compressing the piston. thanks. old dog new trick for me
wow! very informative. thank you I can't tell you how many brakes I have done on my own cars that I just clamped the caliper and I thought I was so smart to use a big serenge to suck the old fluid out of the res. an replace with clean fluid. very good information. thank you.
Amen . I always mity-vac as much fluid as possible from the master reservoir 1st then refill with new DOT4 too , since this insures new clean fluid is vacuumed out through the bleeder . Takes about 3-4 ounces bled at the front and 4-6 ounces at the rear on F-150 to insure clean fluid reaches each caliper. On mine the rubber bushed glide pin was frozen on the rears so new glide pin kit got caliper sliding easily again . Great video and thanks .
Ive been doing this for years gad a problem in a e250 van 20 years ago and clearing the gunky fluid out fixed it and ever since ive cleaned it before any change.
Also with the bleeder hose in a cup after i push the caliper back i squeeze the pedal once to flush that hose out if its really dirty fluid.
Having cleaned and rebuilt many stuck calipers why l never picked up on this possibly....anyway good tip! I will incorporate it in my technique. Thanks!
Finally! Someone that agrees with me! I've seen so many people and videos that don't flush the old fluid out through the bleeder valve. I have done this forever, as even on cars without ABS, this procedure will save the master cylinder seals and prolong the life of it as well. I also vacuum bleed, but with a hand pumper; but as I can do less of this stuff due to joint pain, I need to look into this vacuum bleeder you're using. Great video and information!!
+JRobert111111 I bought one after using a MityVac. Tires out the hand when you're constantly clenching!
Sadly, most techs working on flat rate could care less about this. It's more work for them with no extra money.
JRobert111111 you got that right, i dont get paid to do all that bull shit. unless they also paid for a fluid exchange.
Read my response.
The ONLY time you put a wrench to these soft metal, corrosive screws is for a full replacement and flush.
leave them alone and flush after each rotor change, PERIOD
Nowadays the rotors last only as long as a set of pads. With older vehicles the rotors would last multiple sets of pads.
If your mechanic doesn't do this then find another mechanic. it is very easy to do.and I have been doing brake work like this for years. Great video!!
Was messing with the brakes on the truck today told a few people about t I’m sure. Then I see this vid on my feed. Is RUclips listening to me
Good vid very informative
Were you doing google searches before?
Spot on. Been doing that for 30 years. Should have been doing it sooner but a light bulb went off and that is when I started do it. 50 years in the biz ...38 as an owner.
Great video. We often ignore this all important step in replacing brakes.
That's how I do my brakes but a regular flat rate guy won't do it because it takes too much time.
They tease me about it when they see me do that. I always try to work on my stuff when the techs are not around
Good idea , keeps the naysayers thinking they know everything, haha
I don't disagree with this procedure. Several years ago I saw a magazine article, I forget what magazine did it, but they were wondering weather or not the fluid circulates through the system. They tested this by putting small plastic flakes in the right rear wheel cylinder. drove it around, and in about a week or so they found those same flakes in the master cly reservoir. So biased on their test the fluid doesn't get trapped.
"small plastic flakes" have more density than a liquid, so that was not a valid testing method. they should have used a liquid dye and checked for the dye after the week or so.
I think it's been done with dye, too. I've sucked the somewhat dirty fluid out of my car's master cylinder reservoir and replaced it with fresh fluid, driven a month or so and found the previously clean fluid dirtier. I repeat this every month or 2 and see similar findings, but the fluid is getting "cleaner" each time. That seems to indicate that at least some circulation by convection occurs in the system.
I agree. Fluids mix due to Brownian motion. The idea that the dirty fluid behind the piston stays there for ever is wrong. Fluids always mix because molecules are constantly in motion. Just suck out the old fluid from master cylinder and replace with new fluid every 2-3 years and you should be good to go. I never did brake bleed in my old Maxima and it lasted for 17 years, no brake problems ever.
@OBServe Garage Really? You're one of those dicks with nothing better to do but to go around correcting people? How old are you? Are you not old enough to know from experience that cell phones & computer softwares have "auto correction" that frequently changes the words that are actually entered? Moron.
@@johnnyjohn8073 You had an opportunity to teach, but instead, you insult and call names.
If you live anywhere in the U.S. where it snows and salt is used on the roads, you should brush off the bleeders with a stiff brush and soak them with a good penetrating oil (WD isn't a penetrating oil) for a couple of hours or overnight. You'd be surprised......🤤
@@haywoodyoudome
Ever hear of a penetrating oil called; Aerokroil? Or Aerocroil?
BMW says change the fluid every two years. I end up doing that on all of my cars. If they recommend it, it must be a reason. Love your videos man!!
Volvo has the same recommendation.
I’ve learned from you a lot on brake work. Thank you for your awesome video on Ford vehicles. Now I’m working on a 92’ ford f150.
Excellent Tip. never thought of doing that. I always try to do a system flush after the second brake job, but this make more sense. prevention instead of "cleaning" Thank you.
Great point. I have never had a problem with the ABS system but point well taken. I've also been guilty of not flushing out the old brake fluid periodically. Brake fluid is a moisture magnet and should be flushed every brake job at least.
Been HPDE/Track/AutoX racing on for 9 years and working on cars for 20yrs.
If you cook your fluid during daily driving, you're being way too aggressive for street driving, as fluids are designed to withstand the rigors of a typical commute or run to the store. Not to mention that the majority of the heat winds up in the rotor (which is why they are typically vented) and, the calipers themselves have enough mass to keep the fluid cool during ordinary driving anyways.
Dark fluid is a sign of moisture or seals deteriorating in the system and that is what causes issues, not the heat.
The failing systems (Distribution block and ABS stuff) you mentioned are likely because the vehicle is running the same fluid that's from the factory 10+ years ago.
All you have to do is change it based on the manufacturers details.
This is very good advice, something that I learned the HARD way, I hope that people will watch this video before attempting to just compress the caliper piston.
I have done the brakes on my ‘98 F150 several times since I bought it brand new with 7 miles on the odometer. I always just compress the piston and don’t worry about it. 180,000 miles and zero problems knock on wood.
I also put cling film over the bottle then screw on the cap to seal the lid which helps prevent fluid going back the way or draining out if you take of a caliper etc
Glad I stumbled onto this video, albeit 4 years late.
So it may be over kill, but the next brake job I do, I'm going to:
1. Turkey-baster out as much brake fluid as I can from the master cylinder reservoir, and replace it with new fluid.
2. Bleed the brake line I'm about to work on to force new fluid into that line.
3. Do what he says to force the burned fluid from the caliper out of the system.
4. Bleed/flush more fluid out after installing the new pads.
... Full flush on every pad change.
Iv never done this pushing out old fluid and in 11 years iv never had issues . sure iv totally changed the fluid twice , but even on other cars iv never seen it damage anything
I recently was getting "loose pedal" on my ford edge 2013. Some said its piston and some said its booster. I started with changing the Brake fluid and it worked.
If possible I first replace the master cylinder fluid, then move to calipers.. brake fluid should be replaced every 3-4 years anyway!
This is opening bleeder is best practice, I do it every brake job unless it a piece of junk that's siezed up, wont break loose with map gas and is barely on the road as it is..
If it comes loose its 5 minutes tops to refresh the fluid. I did increase labor by 5 bucks.
Last one I wasnt able to get loose was an 05 Cadillac ctsv with aluminum calipers and tiny blenders. I ended up replacing the caliper because I had also redone the entire brake line system in nickel copper line, from the master all the way to calipers. Ran in exact factory routing, the right way, it looked great. Some major rust belt issues attacked the brake lines hard core.
On old, rusty bleeders, use heat (torch) and then touch a crayon near the threads. It will suck the wax into the threads and lube them. No more broken or rounded bleeders.
Exactly!
its nonsense, someone tested this, its the heat that frees the bolt, wax doesnt penetrate as you suppose it might for a start and does absolutely nothing to lubricate a stuck bolt, even when its molten? wax is way too viscous, thats the whole point of a penetrant oil, if wax worked we wouldnt use penetrant oil, there would be no need for it.
This process is explained in the Hayes manual but also says to clamp the brake hose.
Why, there is also a possibility that the reverse force of the brake fluid ( when pushing calliper piston back )can damage the seals in master brake cylinder.
Wow, i think now i know why my ABS is bad!!! Wish i would've know this sooner
Good video
yes on my ford here in Australia the way i do it is i get someone to pump the brake pedal after drawing out all the fluid in the reservoir with a syringe and putting clean stuff in
so it’s a one way flush outwards
and that seems to work pretty good
the other option is to crimp the hose with a clamp then crack the nipple and push the piston in so all the black stuff comes out the nipple
but I’ve been advised that crimping the hose can damage them internally which you don’t want and I’ve also been advised the other method of pumping the pedal can cause problems with the master cylinder
so I think I’ll just keep what I’m doing and pump the pedal method and leave it at that
and I’ve upgraded from DOT 3 to DOT 5.1......
much better pedal as a result...
It's true. Replace the fluid. Bring back the factory boiling point. Much overlooked during brake service. Look at the fluid color, gives a clue of how the brake system has been used. Darker may indicate hard braking. Rotors will probably show heat. The customer will describe pulsation or "shaking".
Reason why i do my own work on my car is many places incl here in the UK they just drag the work on to get as much out from the customer.I know i work in the car trade for many years so learned a few stuff and i'm in a different job now so i can call up a mate for a job i can't do or not got the right tools for the job.
Enjoy your videos, you're very well spoken and knowledgeable - I've learned a few things watching your videos, keep up the good work.
Interesting...I stated doing this on your latest "rear brake" job video...and you told everybody "don't worry about it, the fluid doesn't compress much so it's not necessary".
very good points made I shall use this method from now on when doing brake jobs, thank you
Brake cylinders: the most neglected part of average automobile.
I install an extra O-Ring on the bleeder screw threads to keep better vaccum on the suction hose.
good Idea, just be sure the break fluid doesn't degrade it the O-Ring.
You are an incredibly proficient, and well spoken technician! Thank you for sharing your talent, and helping people like myself keeping our Fords going for the long haul!
Blessings to you, friend!
It is insane how many "old school" mechanics will simply pop a c-clamp on the caliper and just sent that fluid back into your system. This is very good info. One thing I didn't hear you mention Brian, is this procedure as opposed to pushing that fluid back onto your system should also help to preserve good pedal feel. Broken down fluid compresses more than fresh uncontaminated fluid. Compression in brake fluid is of course a bad thing. At least that is what I have always heard...
+Chris Beach I was going to mention how its hygroscopic and vaporizing in the line but decided to save that for the brake fluid flush video.
Yeah makes sense, until you have a 10 yr old car with rusted on bleeders and no plastic cap and you turn the bleeder and it snaps off. Time for new caliper $$$. You can try heating the bleeder with torch and then throw cold wet rag on it to break (brake?) the rust but most times the bleeder snaps off and your screwed.
Better to take off the caliper bolts, slide off the caliper slowly using a large screwdriver and then finish the job. Been burned too many times on old rusted cars to ever attempt to remove a bleeder again. I just turkey baster the brake fluid every week for 5 weeks or so and most of the fluid is replaced. No new calipers and job done for much less than replacing 4 calipers
This happened to me on a old vehicle the never had brake calipers replaced
I needed all new remanufactured calipers
Evey time Iv gone to bleed a caliper, that happens.
DAMN STRAIGHT!!!! Not to mention do it in minutes with a suction bleeder from the R/R wheel, replacing ALL the fluid
in one shot! DONE!
\
How does pulling the fluid from one bleed screw replace all the fluid, even on the old single systems pulling from the RR will do nothing to replace the fluid in the front brakes, let alone the LR.
U can bleed through the brake line if bleeder breaks
Great tip! Thanks. By the time we need now pads, we probably need a complete purge of the old fluid with new. Don't drive much, change fluid every two or three years to get the water content down.
Isn't DOT 4 backward compatible with DOT 3? Many bottles used to be labled 3 and 4.???? I will look at what you listed.
I've never seen this cause an abs failure ever but old fluid is always good to get out and a brake fluid flush when its dirty is always recommended but no one wants it done.
I never compress the Piston all the way, just enough to get it off, once off I then do it with reservoir open, but makes sense, I'll apply this method from now on...
thanks for the video, just did all 4 brakes and rotors yesterday. wish I had watched it last week
I know! Just finished the rear brakes myself without doing this. Should have watched FOrdTech first. I watched another video that did not mention it (just push in piston), and I even followed the Haynes manual for my 2016 f-150 that said...just push the piston in!
I used to work at a government fleet facility and I suggested that we implement the same procedure into our scheduled preventive maintenance program. It got shot down because my mental midget boss couldn’t figure out a way to take credit for the idea or give the credit to one of his cronies.
I would add is to remove most of the old fluid from the reservoir after adding the new pads but then refill with new before bleeding so you don't mix all that old fluid with new.
+Dirtyharry70585 Good point just make sure to not suck too much out or you can get air trapped in the master cylinder no matter how much you bleed the fluid through. Had that issue especially with escapes luckily they have a bleeder on the master also.
+FordTechMakuloco Good to know since I have two Mariners
Vacuum out the brake fluid reservoir and , if possible, the master cylinder first to remove any debris before touching anything. All that sediment, bits of abraded seal, and corrosion products can wipe out the ABS unit if it get pumped through it.
Best videos for any Ford Repair knows his stuff!
I already knew about this but I still don’t do it, tbh nobody does it and I’ve never had a problem, I’ll only do it if I have time.
Another excellent video from a true professional. Thanks for all the great info, you are a great teacher!
Great video bud, always look forward to the new ones.
I have been doing this since screwing up an ABS valve years ago. Didn't know what happened until an old grey beard told me what you just explained. I got tired of the MityVac method and made my own vacuum set up using a couple pickle jars and an A/C system vacuum pump. Here in Michigan we also have the salt corrosion blues, I tell everyone I do brakes for there may be a chance your going to get calipers also I the bleeder snaps off. Been pretty lucky so far, have only had about 3 or 4 that snapped. PB Blaster or Kroil and a mapp gas torch are my friends.
charlie dee I do the same, made a vacuum bottle out of a 2 litre pickle jar one line to the bleeder and a larger 3/8 diameter line hooked up to my shop vac. , works great. Same principle can be used for sucking the oil out of lawnmowers through the fill tube. Makes for quick oil changes with no mess.
I have been doing the same bleeding procedure for years . Works perfectly
I just bought one of those Harbor Freight vacuum bleeders like you have. They don't put a hook on it anymore for hanging. I guess they saved an extra 2 cents with their newer units.
I picked one up the other day and realized the same thing. Thought I got one missing the ring and hook. Then I saw the photo on the box doesn't show one. Guess I have to make my own from the junk pile in the shop.
They just have to make our lives harder, don't they!?!?
Blaine Bugaski I understand you would like it to come with a hanger, but you could always make one pretty easily if you have an old metal hanger for clothes around the house.
Lane Waite Long been modified ;)
Another good video tips. 👍
I have always used a welders clamp, never thought of using a carpentry clamp (much lighter). 🤔👍
Thanks much, i take your advice, in particular, with more than a grain of salt. However what are you going to do about that vegetable garden growing at the base of the windshield. Thanks again
Not sure, not my vehicle.
FordTechMakuloco was just a rhetorical question actually; however you do kind of make me wish that I had purchased a ford truck; not because of Ford’s quality control, of course, but rather your diy solutions to the deficiencies in their workmanship. Thanks
the vacuum unit can also suck outside air into the rear of the caliper bore, since there is no o-ring seal on the body of the bleed screw.
The only thing I would add. if you plan on doing this. Get all of the old fluid out of the revisor first. Because all your doing is send old fluid that's in the revisor throughout the brake system.
Its a good idea if you are careful you don't want it to get too low or else the opposing axle will also need to be bled even if you are not working on it. This can pose a problem if the rear bleeders are frozen in there, on some models they also require a separate master cylinder bleed like on the Escapes so it can turn into a real ordeal. With the method I describe here you wont have any of those concerns.
FordTechMakuloco can you please make a video explaining the Ford Escape HYBRID Brake Bleeding , any tips,tricks would help a lot of us finding out this nerve racking ordeal
European brands have been specifying DOT4 for years.
I've found that following their recommended fluid replacement schedule also means I'm not dealing with seized calipers. Doing the proper maintenance saves $ in the long run.
Good stuff!
A very smart tip from a smart man thank you very much I learned a lot today.
Even though I’ve never had an issue bleeding out all old fluid last you made a very logical point as to contamination. I’ll do it your way next time since it makes more sense to do so. Nothing wrong with teaching old dogs new tricks 👍
The bad brake fluid will disperse itself throughout the entire system. It doesn't just sit there in the caliper. Regardless, it's always good to exercise the bleeder screws so that they don't get frozen shut and break when you need to open them. Also, it's good to have the bleeder open when pushing back the pads to relieve the pressure (potentially damaging) and making it easier to push the caliper piston back.
What I started doing is bleeding/flushing the brakes first BEFORE a brake job. Replacing the old fluid in the MC and the system. Then you're dealing with fresh fluid when you push the pistons back, and removing brake fluid at the end to bring to fill level.
I usually crack the brake line loose as well ( just enough to let fluid be forced out but not enough for it to run out ) and then wrap a rag around it because I prefer to push the piston in by hand . I just don't feel comfortable using anything that can bend a rotor or crack a caliper to push the piston in and sometimes there's no way to get a good bite on it anyway . I don't worry too much about getting air in the line because I 'm only pushing not pulling and I tighten it immediately . Besides , your almost certainly going to have to bleed the brakes afterward anyway .
Whoops! I didnt do this and sprayed brake fluid all over the place in the engine bay. Apparantly some got on the mega fuse. I didnt find this out until yesterday. Been cahsing a stalling/charging/rough idle issue. Lights would dim with power windows, stalling and not starting back up. Seemed like alternator. Tested everything multimeter and it was fine. SO followed the alternator wire to the fuse and theres was gunk all over it. I'm guessing it was old brake fluid because it was everywhere. Replaced the 175A fuse and everything is just fine finally.